Many of us have been in a similar situation—taken a couple of years break from work, traveled the world (or the country), brought up children, looked after unwell parents or maybe taken a sabbatical to write a book—the reasons are many. This break could be a few months or sometimes a few years—but now as it’s time to get back to working life again—and it can all seem a bit daunting.

While some things might have changed, others remain the same. But like you’ll find out, it’s always better to be prepared for the challenges ahead and gear up accordingly. You need to equip yourself with a positive attitude and arm yourself with a few of these tips.